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About Sessions College

Affording Your Education

Convenience, quality – and affordability? Absolutely. Online education was born to remove three barriers that prevent people from accessing education.

Convenience

Can I make it to class across town every week?

Quality

Is there a school offering a great program in my area?

Cost

Can I complete a program without incurring a mountain of debt?

What Makes Education Affordable?

Let’s examine some key factors to consider when assessing whether ANY college program is affordable:

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Tuition

How does the tuition compare to other schools? Even if you are eligible for financial aid, evaluate the cost per semester, the cost per year, and the total cost of your program.

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Fees

Some schools charge many thousands of dollars of fees on top of tuition. Try to identify what fees are mandatory for you, and factor this into your program costs.

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Textbooks and materials

If you’re not careful, purchasing materials such as textbooks can be expensive. Are materials included? Many schools require extensive purchasing of textbooks and other supplies that can add up.

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Financial assistance

What types of financial assistance are available to help you finance your education? Federal grants and loans for eligible students? Military and veteran benefit plans? Scholarships or institutional payment plans that can break your tuition payments into manageable chunks?

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Flexible schedules

Finally, a hidden factor in college costs: Will your school schedule permit you to continue to work full or part-time, maintaining some level of income to pay your program and living expenses as you go?

“At Sessions College, we understand that education is an investment in your future, and we’re committed to helping you get there. With our industry-leading low tuition and no textbook policy, Sessions College programs are among the best value available online.”

Gordon Drummond

President, Sessions College

How Does Sessions Stack Up?

We thought you’d ask.

Affordable Tuition

Our degree level tuition has been recognized for seven years in a row by the College Affordability and Transparency Center as ranking in the tenth lowest in the United States in our category (for-profit, 2-year college). The tuition for our entire 2-year Associate degree is lower than the average graduating student’s loan debt in the United States in 2019. Now that’s affordability.

No Textbooks

Welcome to the digital age, where no textbooks are required. All coursework and materials required to complete programs are provided in an online learning environment, including orientation materials, lectures, exercises, discussion forums, videos, and multimedia tools. Tuition includes a digital materials fee for updates to course or program content.

Sensible Fees

Unlike other schools, we will burden you with an absolute minimum of additional program fees. You’ll need to pay low administrative fees for standard items like application, registration, schedule changes, and exams. But you won’t receive a mystery $500 bill for a lab fee every term.

Software and Supplies

Much like you’d expect, you will be responsible for providing a computer with Internet connection and any required software or art supplies for your program. (The same PC and supplies you’re dying to use anyway!) Guidelines are provided for every program and educational discounts are available for enrolled students.

Financial Assistance

As an accredited, Title IV institution, Sessions College can provide access to a variety of ways to help you afford your education:

  • Federal Student Aid. Eligible students can access grants and loans to cover a portion of their education costs.
  • Military Student Benefits. Active U.S. military service members, veterans, and their families can utilize education benefits.
  • Scholarships. In Bachelor’s Degree and Associate Degree programs, institutional scholarships can offset tuition costs.
  • Employer Assistance and Workforce Investment Act. We can facilitate employer programs and back to work programs.
  • Sallie Mae Loans. For career program students, private loans can bridge the gap.
  • Payment plans. No-interest institutional payment plans can help you divide your tuition into manageable monthly payments.

Flexible Schedules

Now this is where online education has an unfair advantage! Yes, you will have to commit serious time to your studies each week, but the availability of full-time and part-time schedules makes it possible for many students to continue to work as they study.

Based on 2019 surveys, more than 50% of our degree program students completed their studies while employed full-time or part-time.

How Do We Compare to Other Schools?

We thought you’d ask that too.

How About Other Design Schools?

Tuition is constantly changing, but here’s a look at some other well-known design schools that offer online programs. This table compares estimated 2020-2021 tuition for Bachelor in Fine Arts (BFA) in Graphic Design programs.

ProgramTuition Per-Credit/
Number of Credits
Total Tuition
Sessions College
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
in Graphic Design
$510/credit
120 credits
$61,200
RMCAD
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
in Graphic Design
$544/credit
123 credits
$66,912
Academy of Art University
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
in Graphic Design
$963 per unit
132 units
$127,116
Parsons School of Design
BFA in Communication Design
$1700/credit
120 credits
$204,000

And that’s not all….

Many schools add textbooks or digital materials fees on top of tuition costs. At Sessions College, digital materials are included in our already affordable tuition.

At the schools listed above, additional fees range from an estimated $500 per program to over $7,000 per program. One school has a $100 technology fee AND a $50-75 digital resource fee per course. Another estimates $4,478 books and supplies costs for the program.

What About Community College?

We get it—the tuition at community college and other state or government-subsidized institutions can be appealing. But while community college tuition can look attractive on the surface, we invite you to compare it with the values and benefits of completing your art/design program at Sessions College:

Developed by designers, for designers
Sessions College provides an award-winning curriculum designed to provide you with industry-standard software skills, and ensure you have a high quality portfolio to show your future employers and clients.
Focus on design
Many community college programs have a 50% or higher general education component. In our design degree programs, 75% of your coursework is focused on learning art and design skills. Do you really want to study English literature when you could be learning the skills that will make you employable?
Expert feedback on your work
At Sessions College, each piece of work you do will be individually critiqued for its strengths and weaknesses, and provided specific guidelines for improvement. All our faculty are working professionals successful in the industry who are passionate about design and are specifically trained in how to teach online.
Personal attention
You will be part of a team of students, advisors, and faculty who work together to guide and challenge you as you progress through your program. You’ll be studying with and sharing work with other students. We’ll keep you motivated to stay on track and be there to help you with any questions.
Graduate with a professional portfolio
A credential on your resume is an important accomplishment. But how will you prove your proficiency? Graduate from Sessions College and you will have a professional grade portfolio that clearly demonstrates your mastery of the skills and principles of design. As any professional designer knows, there is no better resume!